The BCS system has its flaws, and its many critics, but it has delivered an era of magic moments and under-pressure performances against a backdrop of pageantry, passion and plan ol' pigskin raised to high-stakes art form.

After witnessing plenty of greatness since 1998, the first season the selection system was established, we've ranked the defining postseason moments of the BCS period, including not only the brilliance from championship matchups but also the "Did you see that?" plays and performances from the other BCS games.

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Rose Bowl, January 4, 2006: Texas vs. USC

THE RUN TO A TITLE

The background: This battle of the nation’s only undefeated teams was one of the most anticipated matchups in college football history. The Longhorns were riding a 19-game winning streak and were led by all-purpose QB Vince Young, the 2005 Heisman runner-up, but the the Trojans were the defending national champions (and two-time AP defending national champions) and boasted two Heisman winners—quarterback Matt Leinart (2004) and running back Reggie Bush (2005). The Longhorns, at 50.9 points per game, led the nation in scoring, but entering the game, analysts were regularly calling USC one of the top offenses ever. With additional weapons such as Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett at wide receiver and LenDale White at running back, USC was seen as the clear favorite.

The game: USC and Texas put on a performance worthy of the hype, trading scores throughout the first three quarters, and the Trojans led 24-23 entering the fourth. After two Leinart TD passes with only a field goal in response from Texas, USC led 38-26 with 6:42 remaining. The rest of this Rose Bowl belonged to Young. He responded with a 2½-minute 69-yard drive that ended when he ran 17 yards for a touchdown, setting up a spectacular finish to the game. The teams combined for a Rose Bowl record 1,130 total yards, with Young breaking the game record for total offense (467 yards). Leinart passed for 365 yards, the fourth-highest total in the game’s history, and White rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns for the Trojans. But this night was Young’s show. The final numbers: 30-of-40 for 267 yards passing with no interceptions and 19 carries for 200 yards and three TDs.

The moment: The national title came down to one play. Trailing, 38-33, on fourth-and-5 at the USC 8 with less than 30 seconds on the clock, Young dropped back to pass, looked around, then took off for the right corner of the end zone. He tiptoed in for the win with 19 seconds left. After his 2-point conversion, the Longhorns claimed the school’s fourth national championship and first since 1970, 41-38. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, who was sitting in the corner of the end zone where Young ran for the winning score, says: “When the confetti was coming down and the place was going crazy, our set started to get ready to do live TV. (It was) moments after the game ended, and Vince Young was running around on the field. You have to remember that Reggie Bush had already won the Heisman—Matt Leinart had won it the year before—and Vince Young was a finalist that year and didn’t win it. All (Texas) heard about (before the game) was USC, USC, USC. Vince Young ran right by our set next to us and jumped up on this podium and was yelling up to the Texas fans. There was a burst of adrenaline going through his body, yelling up at his fans, as if he was just releasing something. The last thing he was yelling, I remember hearing, was, ‘Who’s the Heisman now? Who’s the Heisman now?’ He was fired up, and deservingly so. That was an amazing performance.”

The aftermath: The Longhorns snapped USC’s 34-game winning streak and, in many ways, erased the mystique coach Pete Carroll had created in Los Angeles during the mid-2000s. The Trojans have lost 21 times in the seven years since. The game produced four top 10 picks in the 2006 NFL draft: Bush (second), Young (third), Leinart (10th) and Texas safety Michael Huff (seventh). Ironically, the Trojans’ appearance in the era’s greatest bowl game no longer exists officially. Bush was declared retroactively ineligible by the NCAA in 2010, and USC was forced to vacate its appearance in the game.

— Scott Smith

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Fiesta Bowl, January 1, 2007: Boise State vs. Oklahoma

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY

The background: Boise State—the non-BCS school with everything to prove—got what it wanted: a game against one of the big boys, Oklahoma. The underdog Broncos, led by first-year coach Chris Petersen, entered the game 12-0 but without a win against a ranked team. The Sooners were 11-2 with losses against two ranked teams, Oregon and rival Texas.

The game: The Broncos jumped all over the Sooners and looked every bit as good as their record. Midway through the third quarter, Marty Tadman returned an interception for a TD to give Boise State a 28-10 lead. But Oklahoma rallied and took a 35-28 lead with 1:02 to play on a pick-6 of its own. Then, on fourth-and-18 from midfield with 18 seconds remaining, Broncos QB Jared Zabransky hit Drisan James, who lateraled the ball to Jerard Rabb, who sprinted to the end zone for the score to force overtime.

The moment: Adrian Peterson scored on Oklahoma’s first play in overtime to give the Sooners a 42-35 advantage. The Broncos cut the lead to 42-41 on an option pass from receiver Vinny Perretta, and instead of kicking the PAT and forcing a second overtime, they went for the 2-point conversion. Zabransky perfectly executed the Statue of Liberty fake, and Ian Johnson took the ball and scampered untouched for the conversion and victory. “The biggest thing for me was to make sure that the handoff was secure because we’d practiced that play so many times, ran it in a few games,” Zabransky says. “We probably ran it 100 times in practice, during live scenarios, and outside of that probably practiced the ballhandling part of it another 150 times. You shoot a lot of free throws, you’re going to get that stroke down.”

The aftermath: Boise State proved it could play with the nation’s best—and continued to prove it in the following seasons. In 2009, the Broncos went 14-0, defeating fellow BCS-buster TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. In the past six seasons, the Broncos have lost a total of eight games.

And Zabransky says he never tires of reliving the moment. “It’s pretty awesome, man. I work in the energy industry now, and I was at a conference about a month ago with Exxon and their global drilling teams and one of the guys introduced me as ‘the Boise State quarterback who did the trick play.’ So it’s pretty well known in whatever circle you’re in. It’s very neat. I’m happy that it’s kind of turning into college football folklore.”

— Ken Bradley

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Fiesta Bowl, January 3, 2003: Ohio State vs. Miami

THE PASS INTERFERENCE CALL

The background: The Hurricanes, the reigning national champs, entered the Fiesta Bowl on a 34-game winning streak. The Buckeyes, who had won six games by seven points or fewer, including their last three, were 11½-point underdogs in the national championship game.

The game: It was a back-and-forth affair throughout. Ohio State had the lead and the ball late in the fourth quarter, but the Buckeyes failed to convert a third-and-6 and were forced to punt. Roscoe Parrish returned the kick 50 yards to the Ohio State 25, but Miami moved the ball just 1 yard in three plays and had to settle for a 40-yard field goal on the final play of regulation. For the first time, a national title game went into overtime.

The moment: Trailing in overtime, 24-17, Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel converted a fourth-and-14, but the Buckeyes then found themselves facing a fourth-and-3 at the 5. Krenzel threw to Chris Gamble in the end zone, but he was unable to catch the ball. The official nearest the play signaled incomplete, and Miami fans, players and coaches began to celebrate. Their revelry was premature; a few seconds later, field judge Terry Porter rushed in from the back of the end zone to throw a flag for pass interference. Miami players and coaches had to return to the sideline, and fans had to return to their seats.

The Buckeyes got a first down at the Miami 2, and three plays later, Krenzel scored. The extra point made it 24-24 and forced another overtime. In the second OT, Ohio State won the game after Maurice Clarett’s 5-yard TD run gave Ohio State a 31-24 lead.

“I was on the sideline on my knees,” says Matt Wilhelm, Ohio State’s All-American linebacker. “Holding hands with somebody—I don’t even remember who it was. Hands clenched, fingers crossed, toes crossed, feet crossed, legs crossed, everything crossed. It all came down to that one play. Your heart sinks. It was the lowest of lows. Then all of a sudden, (someone), I don’t even remember who it was, says, ‘There’s a flag!’ It’s like, ‘Huh?’ The heart starts beating back in your chest. You’re catching your breath, because you lost it.”

The aftermath: With the most controversial call of the BCS era, the Miami dynasty came to a close. The Hurricanes finished at No. 5 the following season but haven’t ended a season in the top 10 since. Ohio State, meanwhile, used it as a jumping-off point for the best stretch in its history. Since that national title, the Buckeyes have been to eight BCS bowls, including two national championship games.

“After that call, whether it was the proper call, improper call, it was the call, it’s part of history now—there was no way we’re losing this game now,” Wilhelm says. “If it takes 25 overtimes, somehow, some way, we are going to be the team that makes that play to win the ballgame.”

— Matt Crossman

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BCS National Championship Game, January 7, 2010: Alabama vs. Texas

THE FALL OF COLT MCCOY

The background: In 2009, Alabama was focused on redemption. The Tide had been dominated by Florida in the 2008 SEC championship game, then upset by Utah in the Sugar Bowl. With a bevy of future NFL standouts leading a stingy defense, Alabama won its rematch with undefeated and top-ranked Florida in the SEC championship game. Texas was also undefeated, but after pulling out a one-point squeaker against Nebraska in the Big 12 title game, the Longhorns were slight underdogs. The biggest factor in Texas’ favor was quarterback Colt McCoy, a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist and owner of just about every Texas passing record as well as the NCAA mark for career wins by a quarterback (45). “This is what he’s been groomed for,” former Texas quarterback James Brown told Sporting News before the game. Alabama junior Greg McElroy, on the other hand, was in his first year as the starter.

The game: Alabama scored 24 points in the second quarter—on TD runs by future first-round draft picks Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, a field goal and an interception return for a touchdown by Marcell Dareus—to take control of the game. Texas cut the Tide lead to three points midway through the fourth quarter, but Alabama sealed the 37-21 win on TD runs by Ingram and Richardson.
The moment: Entering the game, destiny seemed to be on McCoy’s side—the glaring hole on his resume was a national championship—and after he completed his first two passes, it looked like the game might be the perfect final chapter. But on Texas’ fifth offensive play, a first-and-10 from the Alabama 11, Dareus nailed McCoy on an option keeper. It was a clean but vicious hit, and it caused McCoy to lose feeling in his throwing arm. He left the game and wouldn’t return. Garrett Gilbert, a true freshman who had played only in mop-up duty, replaced the All-American.

The aftermath: Without McCoy behind center, Alabama brought relentless pressure. Gilbert was just 1-for-10 with a pair of interceptions by halftime, and the Tide had a 24-6 lead. And though Gilbert rebounded in the third quarter, it was too little, too late, and Alabama had its eighth national championship and first since 1992. “We back,” Ingram told reporters after the game. And they were. The Tide would win another title in 2011 and will play for the championship again this January. Things have gone the other way for the Longhorns, who slumped to 5-7 in 2010. McCoy was drafted by the Browns in 2010 but has dealt with lingering problems from the shoulder injury in the NFL.

— Ryan Fagan

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Fiesta Bowl, January 4, 1999: Tennessee vs. Florida State

THE PEERLESS RECEPTION

The background: Peyton Manning’s Tennessee teams were always among the best in the country, but his Volunteers could never beat rival Florida, which meant no shot at the national championship game. But in 1998, the year after Manning—and four other early-rounders—had left for the NFL, the Vols, led by Tee Martin, knocked off Florida in overtime in Week 2. They rallied past Mississippi State in the SEC championship game and arrived at the Fiesta Bowl with a perfect record. When unbeaten UCLA and Kansas State lost in the season’s final week, Florida State (11-1) sneaked into the title game. Despite the fact the Seminoles had a loss and would be playing without quarterback Chris Weinke, who was out with a neck injury, they were favored in the game.

The game: This championship game, the first of the BCS era, wasn’t a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination. Both teams went scoreless in the first quarter. In the second, the Vols scored the first TD after a 76-yard Martin-to-Peerless Price pass took them to the Florida State 12. Tennessee scored again on the next possession when cornerback Dwayne Goodrich intercepted a pass and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown, but after nine unanswered points from the Seminoles, the Vols were up by just five entering the fourth quarter.

The moment: With 9 minutes to go, Tennessee was backed up deep in its territory. Facing a third-and-9 from the 21, Martin dropped back to pass. Given a moment’s protection by his offensive line, Martin stepped into the pocket and fired a strike to Price, who was streaking down the right sideline. He hauled in the pass in stride and outsprinted a pair of Seminoles defensive backs for the 79-yard touchdown.
The aftermath: The score gave the Vols a double-digit lead, more than enough for a defense led by future Pro Bowl linebacker Al Wilson. Tennessee won the game, 23-16, to claim its first national championship since 1951. “They were able to get the ball to their big threat, and we weren’t,” Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden said after the game. The Volunteers returned to the Fiesta Bowl the following season—where they lost to Nebraska to finish 9-3—but they haven’t been back to the BCS since. Florida State, on the other hand, put together an undefeated season in 1999 and, with a healthy Weinke, beat Virginia Tech to win the national title.

— Ryan Fagan

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Sugar Bowl: January 1, 2010, Florida vs. Cincinnati

TIM TEBOW'S LAST HURRAH

The background: In the final season of his storied career, Tim Tebow’s quest to lead the Gators to back-to-back national championships—and third in four seasons—ended with a loss to Alabama in the SEC title game. The consolation for Tebow and Company was playing in the Sugar Bowl against an undefeated Cincinnati team that was without its head coach, as Brian Kelly had left for the Notre Dame job. Florida coach Urban Meyer, meanwhile, had announced he would take a leave of absence after the game.

The game: It wasn’t much of one. Tebow’s college farewell, though, was full of highlights. The Gators led, 30-3, at the half and won, 51-24. Tebow was at his best, completing 31 of 35 passes for 482 yards and three scores. He also ran for another 51 yards and a TD.

The moment: A Heisman Trophy winner and considered one of, if not the greatest college player ever to play, Tebow soaked in the moment after the game. He took a victory lap at the Superdome, saluted fans and smiled a lot. “Just because I’m graduating the University of Florida doesn’t mean I’m still not a Gator,” Tebow said after the game. “I’ve been a Gator my whole life and always will be a Gator. So it’s not really saying goodbye, it’s just moving on to a new chapter, but I’ll still always be a Gator.”

The aftermath: Meyer returned to coach the Gators after taking several months off. Florida went 8-5 in 2010, and Meyer retired at the end of the season; he came back to the sidelines in 2012 to coach Ohio State. Tebow left as one of the most decorated players in Florida history—owning 28 school, 14 SEC and five NCAA records—and was taken with the 25th overall pick in the NFL draft by the Denver Broncos.

— Ken Bradley

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BCS National Championship Game, January 10, 2011: Auburn vs. Oregon

AUBURN'S WINNING KICK

The background: In early November 2010, a pay-for-play scandal involving Auburn star QB Cam Newton surfaced. His eligibility was in question, but ultimately he was cleared and never missed a game. He led Auburn through an undefeated season, including a comeback from a 24-point deficit in Tuscaloosa to beat rival Alabama, and won the Heisman Trophy. Auburn’s offense was one of the best in the nation, but it wasn’t No. 1—that title belonged to Oregon. The Ducks’ spread attack led the nation in total offense and scoring (47.0 points per game).

The game: The high-scoring contest everyone expected never materialized. The Ducks tied the score, 19-19, with a TD and 2-point conversion with 2:33 to play. Attempting to drive into field goal position from its 40, Auburn handed off to freshman Michael Dyer. Seemingly tackled on the play, Dyer actually rolled off an Oregon defender after about a 6-yard gain and went for 37 yards to the Ducks’ 23. Two plays later, Dyer ran 16 more yards before being stopped inside the 1.
The moment: With 2 seconds on the clock, Auburn sent in senior kicker Wes Byrum, the school’s all-time leader in field goals made, for a 19-yard attempt. He nailed it, and Auburn claimed a 22-19 victory.

The aftermath: Controversy surrounding Newton’s eligibility continued until the NCAA ultimately closed its investigation in October 2011 without penalizing Auburn. In just his second year as Tigers coach, Gene Chizik added a national title to his resume, but he had a quick fall—he was fired two years later after a three-win season. Newton, after one of the great single seasons in college football history, became the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers.

The background: Ohio State had been No. 1 all season. Only two teams had come within a touchdown of beating the Buckeyes, who featured runaway Heisman winner Troy Smith at quarterback. They were led by coach Jim Tressel, who had guided the Buckeyes to a national title during the 2002 season. Florida, on the other hand, had a second-year coach, a quarterback controversy and a loss on its record. There was debate about whether the Gators should have even been in the game. Given all that, Ohio State entered as a 7½-point favorite.

The game: After a Buckeyes score on the first play of the game, Gators quarterback Chris Leak threw for one touchdown and freshman Percy Harvin ran for another, and Florida never looked back. The Gators led, 34-14, at halftime, then added two late TDs from quarterback Tim Tebow (one running, one passing) to give Florida a 41-14 win.

The moment: Ted Ginn got the Buckeyes off on the right foot when he returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. During the postplay celebration, though, Ginn suffered a foot sprain and had to leave the game. By the time he made his way back onto the field—on crutches—his Buckeyes were trailing by 20.

The aftermath: It was all downhill for the Buckeyes after Ginn’s electric return—and that extended well beyond the game. They returned to the title game the following season but lost big to LSU. Then they watched as the program was ripped apart by a scandal that led to the resignation of Tressel in 2011. Under an interim coach last season, they finished 6-7. This season, despite a 12-0 record, they are ineligible for a bowl. Florida, on the other hand, started a run of SEC dominance—six straight champions and counting. Ginn was the ninth overall pick by the Miami Dolphins in the 2007 draft and is now with the 49ers.

— Corrie Anderson Gifford

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Fiesta Bowl, January 1, 2005: Utah vs. Pitt

UTAH'S HOOK-AND-LADDER

The background: Urban Meyer’s undefeated, fifth-ranked Utah team entered the game with the media tag of “BCS Busters.” The Utes, from the Mountain West, were the first team from a non-BCS conference to play in a BCS game. The Utes’ spread offense—led by junior QB Alex Smith, a Heisman Trophy finalist— averaged 46.3 points, and Utah had won each of its 11 regular-season games by 14 points or more. Big East champion Pitt, ranked No. 19, wasn’t expected to provide much resistance.

The game: The Utes led 14-0 at halftime and turned the game into a laugher in the third quarter, scoring three touchdowns on Smith passes. Smith completed 29 of 37 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. He also led Utah in rushing with 15 carries for 68 yards.
The moment: On second-and-1 at the Pitt 18 late in the third quarter, Smith threw a wide receiver screen in the left flat to Steve Savoy, who then pitched the ball to fellow wideout Paris Warren trailing the play. Warren ran 18 yards down the sideline for the score, cutting back for the last few steps, to put Utah up, 35-7, with 25 seconds to play in the third quarter. Smith said afterward that the Utes had practiced the play at least twice a day for two weeks before the game, “and it never worked.” The trickery capped a 10-play, 94-yard drive that ended the scoring.

The aftermath: The Utes’ performance opened the door—just a bit—for non-BCS teams. From Utah’s win to Northern Illinois’ Orange Bowl invitation this season, seven nonautomatic qualifiers have been selected to play in BCS bowls. The Fiesta Bowl win was Meyer’s last stand as Utah’s coach before leaving for Florida and the SEC. In April of that year, Smith was selected No. 1 overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL draft.
— Scott Smith

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Rose Bowl, January 1, 1999: Wisconsin vs. UCLA

RON DAYNE'S RUNAWAY TD

The background: Wisconsin and UCLA had taken markedly different routes to the Rose Bowl. UCLA had appeared headed for the national championship game when it won its first 10 games. But a loss in its regular-season finale against Miami knocked the Bruins down in the rankings, and they went to the Rose Bowl as Pac-10 champions instead of to the Fiesta Bowl, which was the national championship game that season. Wisconsin finished in a three-way tie for first with Michigan and Ohio State in the Big Ten and won the tiebreaker to go to the Rose Bowl because it had gone the longest without playing in Pasadena. The Badgers were led by Ron Dayne, who had rushed for 1,525 yards that season.

The game: Wisconsin scored at least a touchdown in every quarter, and UCLA did, too, except for the fourth, when the Bruins managed only a field goal. Wisconsin won, 38-31, but it wasn’t over until the Badgers sacked UCLA quarterback Cade McNown on fourth down late in the game.
The moment: Dayne opened the scoring with a 54-yard run in the first quarter. Taking the handoff, he went through a big hole on the left side of the line, then went untouched down the sideline and into the end zone—the first of four rushing TDs on a 246-yard day.

The aftermath: Dayne was named MVP of the game, as he was again the following year after a Heisman season, becoming the first player to win back-to-back Rose Bowl MVPs. Wisconsin’s trip to the Pasadena this season is its fourth since that 1999 game, while UCLA hasn’t made a return appearance.

— Matt Crossman

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Sugar Bowl, January 4, 2004: LSU vs. Oklahoma

MARCUS SPEARS' PICK-6

The background: In his fourth season at LSU, Nick Saban got the Tigers to the BCS title game, which was that year’s Sugar Bowl. LSU had lost just a single game—19-7 to Florida—while Oklahoma had arrived with a little controversy. The Sooners were undefeated until the Big 12 title game—and then lost to Kansas State, 35-7. That dropped the Sooners behind both USC and LSU in the AP and coaches polls. In 11 of LSU’s 12 wins before the BCS game, opponents had scored 14 points or fewer.

The game: Yards were very hard to come by, especially for the Sooners, who were led by Heisman Trophy-winning QB Jason White. LSU allowed just 52 yards on the ground on 33 carries and harassed White all night into a two-interception, 102-yard performance. After the Sooners drove to the LSU 12 in the game’s final 3 minutes, LSU held and won, 21-14.

The moment: After an interception near the end of the first half, Oklahoma had a little momentum, despite trailing 14-7 to start the third quarter. The Sooners received the second half kickoff and things quickly soured. LSU defensive end Marcus Spears sacked White on the half’s first play, and on the next, Spears picked off White’s pass, returning it 20 yards for the score and a 21-7 LSU lead.
The aftermath: LSU’s defense proved too tough to overcome and provided the Tigers with the BCS title (USC finished first in the AP poll)—their first national championship since 1958. LSU has since added another BCS title, in the 2007 season under head coach Les Miles. The Sooners returned high-powered offenses to two other national championship games in the next five years but came up short both times.

— Ken Bradley

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BCS National Championship Game, January 8, 2009: Florida vs. Oklahoma

THE STATEMENT HIT FOR FLORIDA

The background: History remembers this as Tim Tebow’s ascension into the realm of college football immortals. Tebow, who had won the Heisman as a sophomore the previous year but finished behind Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford in 2008, led his 12-1 Gators into the title game. Bradford, just the second sophomore to win the Heisman, led 12-1 Oklahoma’s record-setting offense.

The game: Tebow was the face of the Gators, but Florida also featured a suffocating defense—top 10 in points allowed, total defense and turnovers—and this was a defense-dominated contest. The game was tied at seven at halftime and again at 14 early in the fourth quarter. Then, with his Gators ahead by a field goal, Tebow led Florida on an 11-play, 76-yard touchdown drive that lasted 6:52 to put the Gators up 24-14 with 3:07 left in the game. That would be the final score.

The moment: On first-and-10, barely more than a minute into the contest, Oklahoma was looking to make a statement. Bradford lofted a pass deep down the sideline for Manny Johnson, who had pulled a step ahead of Florida cornerback Joe Haden. But safety Major Wright arrived with the football—or maybe a fraction of a second early—on a full sprint and leveled Johnson, who had no chance to make the catch.

The aftermath: Bradford, who had averaged 343.4 yards passing that year, finished with just 256, and an Oklahoma offense that had averaged 54 points per game managed just 14 in the loss to the Gators. Bradford played just one game the following season because of a shoulder injury and entered the 2010 NFL draft. Tebow, who finished the game with 231 yards passing and 109 rushing, returned for his senior season but came up short in his attempt for a third national title.

— Ryan Fagan

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Orange Bowl, January 3, 2001: Oklahoma vs. Florida State

THE FUMBLE THAT ENDED FSU'S REIGN

The background: Florida State was the established national powerhouse and defending national champion. Oklahoma had struggled through three straight sub-.500 years before coach Bob Stoops arrived prior to the 1999 season. So, despite the fact the Sooners were undefeated and ranked No. 1, the Seminoles—who averaged north of 45 points with 500-plus yards of offense per game—were 10-point favorites heading into the Orange Bowl.

The game: The Sooners didn’t score often in this game, but they dominated time of possession—36:33 to 23:27—and smothered the Seminoles when they did have the football. FSU finished with 27 rushing yards, and Heisman winner Chris Weinke completed just 25 of his 51 pass attempts. Only a final-minute safety allowed Florida State to avoid its first shutout since the 1988 season.
The moment: Trailing 6-0 almost halfway through the fourth quarter, Weinke dropped back to pass on third-and-6 with his Seminoles backed up on their 10-yard line. He stepped up in the pocket to avoid being sacked, eluded two more would-be tacklers and was steps from a first down when Oklahoma All-American linebacker Rocky Calmus came in and delivered the game-changing hit. Weinke fumbled the ball and safety Roy Williams scooped it up for the Sooners. Oklahoma scored two plays later.

The aftermath: With the way the OU defense was playing, that 13-point lead might as well have been 130. The Seminoles were done. Final score: 13-2. Fifteen years after their last national championship, the Sooners were back on the national stage to stay; they have appeared in BCS games seven times since then, including in three title matchups (although they have lost all three). Florida State has reached four BCS bowls since—but hasn’t returned to a national title game.

— Ryan Fagan

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Sugar Bowl, January 4, 2000: Florida State vs. Virginia Tech

PETER WARRICK'S RECEPTION

The background: After many thought he was as good as gone to the NFL, Peter Warrick returned to Tallahassee for his senior season, partly because he was a Heisman favorite and partly because he wanted to redeem himself after catching just one pass for 7 yards in a humiliating loss to Tennessee in the previous year’s national championship game. But midway through the season, Warrick was arrested in a clothing store discount scam. He missed two games while suspended and was snubbed by Heisman voters. Florida State, which won the national title in 1993, had lost in two championship game appearances since then, earning the nickname “the Atlanta Braves of college football” for the titles they didn’t win.

The game: The Seminoles had a 28-7 lead in the first half, but Hokies redshirt freshman Michael Vick led Virginia Tech on a run, and the Hokies were up, 29-28, in the third quarter. Despite Vick’s big game—he carried 23 times for 97 yards and one touchdown and completed 15 of 29 passes for 225 yards and one touchdown—Virginia Tech lost, 46-29, after Florida State scored 18 fourth quarter points.
The moment: Despite clear interference from a Hokies defensive back, Warrick made a juggling catch in the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown that gave FSU a 17-point lead with 7:42 remaining, essentially sealing the national title for the Seminoles. Warrick finished with six receptions for 163 yards and two touchdowns and also scored on a 59-yard punt return, and he took home the MVP trophy.

The aftermath: Warrick went on to become the fourth overall pick in that year’s draft, and with the win, Florida State took home its second national title of the decade and the only undefeated season of coach Bobby Bowden’s career. The following season, the Seminoles would secure the last of their 14 straight top five finishes in the AP poll, effectively marking the end of the Florida State dynasty.

— Corrie Anderson Gifford

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Sugar Bowl, January 2, 2009: Utah vs. Alabama

UTAH'S BCS AMBUSH

The background: The Crimson Tide lost to Florida in the SEC championship game and a shot to play for the national title with it. Utah, meanwhile, entered the game as Mountain West champion and with a chip on its shoulder, wanting to show it could play with an elite team from a BCS conference.

The game: Kyle Whittingham’s Utes played with nothing to lose from the first whistle. QB Brian Johnson’s 336 yards passing and three TD tosses came against the nation’s No. 3 ranked defense. Utah’s defense, meanwhile, put the clamps on the Tide’s running game (31 yards on 33 carries) and picked off John Parker Wilson twice. After Utah built a 21-0 lead, Alabama closed the gap to 21-17 in the third quarter, but Johnson threw a 28-yard TD pass to David Reed, and the Utes added a field goal for the 31-17 win.

The moment: The first eight minutes must have seemed like a blur to Alabama while picture perfect to Utah. On Alabama’s first three possessions, it totaled 10 yards on 13 plays, punted twice and was intercepted once. Utah scored after both punts and the interception, piling up 165 yards on its first 17 plays to take a shocking three-touchdown lead with 4:01 remaining in the opening quarter.

The aftermath: The Utes were the only team to finish the season undefeated at 13-0. Florida won the BCS title, but not everyone was convinced the Tim Tebow-led Gators were the best team in the nation. In the AP poll, Utah received 16 first-place votes—not enough to climb past Florida, but enough to cement itself as the No. 2 team. In the coaches poll, the Utes finished fourth and, despite the fact all coaches are supposed to vote the BCS title game winner No. 1, received one first-place vote—from Whittingham. It was Utah’s second undefeated season in the BCS era, and in 2011, the Utes would move up to major conference status by joining the Pac-12.

— Ken Bradley

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Rose Bowl, January 1, 2011: TCU vs. Wisconsin

THE DEFLECTION THAT SAVED TCU

The background: Third-ranked TCU hadn’t lost all season but because of its conference affiliation—the nonautomatic qualifier Mountain West—was left out of the BCS National Championship Game. A Rose Bowl matchup against an 11-1 Wisconsin team was seen as a worthy test, however. Could the Horned Frogs hang with a great team from one of the great conferences, or was their record misleading because it was built against mediocre opponents?

The game: The No. 4 Badgers featured a powerful running attack, and Montee Ball and John Clay helped Wisconsin gain 226 yards on the ground. TCU had dual-threat quarterback Andy Dalton, who ran for 28 yards and a touchdown and threw for 219 and a score. The two teams traded scores throughout a game that wasn’t decided until the end.

The moment: With 2 minutes left, Ball’s 4-yard run capped a 77-yard drive and pulled the Badgers to within 21-19. Wisconsin went for a 2-point conversion to tie the score. All-American linebacker Tank Carder blitzed on the play but was blocked. Meanwhile, a blown coverage left a receiver wide open. Seeing no way to get to the quarterback, Carder stopped trying. Instead, he jumped and deflected Scott Tolzien’s pass, sealing TCU’s win.
The aftermath: Carder’s play was so big it earned a nickname—the Immaculate Deflection. Carder also had two sacks in the game and was named defensive MVP. The Horned Frogs finished the season undefeated at 13-0 and No. 2 in the nation, behind national champion Auburn. TCU would finish 11-2 the following season, then moved to one of the big boy conferences, the Big 12.

— Matt Crossman

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Fiesta Bowl, January 1, 2002: Oregon vs. Colorado

JOEY HARRINGTON'S DEEP STRIKE

The background: Despite being ranked second in both polls, the upstart Ducks were downgraded to fourth in the BCS standings to face the No. 3 Buffaloes, and Oregon felt it had something to prove. Colorado came in as one of the hottest teams in the country, having scored 101 points and rushed for 600 yards in its previous two games, including a 62-36 demolition of a Nebraska team that controversially earned a spot in the BCS title game against Miami. Each team believed a win combined with a Cornhuskers upset of the top-rated Hurricanes would earn it the No. 1 ranking in the final Associated Press poll.

The game: In a matchup of two of the nation’s most explosive offenses, the Ducks won out, outgaining the Buffaloes 500-328 in total yardage. Behind Joey Harrington’s 350 yards passing and four touchdowns, Oregon scored 38 unanswered points after falling behind, 7-0. The Ducks also surprised coach Gary Barnett’s team with their defense. Senior safety Steve Smith set a Fiesta Bowl record with three interceptions, and Oregon held Colorado’s eighth-ranked ground attack to a season-low 49 yards rushing on 31 carries.

The moment: Harrington hooked up with wideout Samie Parker on a 79-yard pass early in the second quarter to give Oregon its first lead at 14-7, and the floodgates were opened. It was one of Parker’s nine receptions, good for 162 yards, and one of five touchdown drives for the quick-strike Ducks of less than three minutes.

The aftermath: Harrington would go on to become the No. 3 overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft, but more important, a West Coast phenomenon not named USC made a national impact. Although the Ducks wouldn’t return to a BCS bowl game until 2010, Mike Bellotti’s high-octane offense set the stage for the program’s current state of prominence, including the flashy uniforms that opened a new era in gridiron fashion.

— Scott Smith

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Rose Bowl, January 1, 2005: Texas vs. Michigan

VINCE YOUNG'S ARRIVAL

The background: The Longhorns entered the game with a single blemish on their record, a 12-0 loss to Oklahoma, which would go on to face USC in the BCS national championship game. Thanks in part to coach Mack Brown’s controversial lobbying efforts, No. 6 Texas leapfrogged California in the final BCS standings for a spot in Pasadena. The 13th-ranked Wolverines won the Big Ten title despite losing their last game at Ohio State.

The game: It was one of the highest-rated Rose Bowls ever played, with Texas sophomore quarterback Vince Young displaying all the talents in his arsenal and Wolverines receiver Steve Breaston doing the same on the Michigan side. Young rushed for 192 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 180 and another score. Breaston broke O.J. Simpson’s Rose Bowl record with 315 all-purpose yards, including six kickoff returns for 221 yards that gave Michigan’s freshman quarterback, Chad Henne, short fields to work with all afternoon. Henne threw four touchdown passes in staking the Wolverines to a 31-21 lead at the end of three quarters, but Young took over in the final period, with TD runs of 10 and 23 yards to spark the Texas comeback.

The moment: Down 37-35 with 3 minutes to go, Young drove the Longhorns 46 yards in nine plays to the Michigan 19, setting up Dusty Mangum’s game-winning 37-yard field goal as time expired. Young carried the ball five times for 33 yards during the series, and Michigan took two timeouts in an attempt to freeze the Longhorns’ onetime walk-on kicker, who sent a wobbly kick through the uprights for a 38-37 victory.

The aftermath: The Longhorns finished 11-1, and during the postgame celebration, Young declared, “We’ll be back.” The Longhorns indeed returned to the Rose Bowl a year later, where Texas would win its first BCS national championship and Young his second offensive MVP in Pasadena’s postseason classic.

— Scott Smith

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Rose Bowl, January 3, 2002: Miami vs. Nebraska

THE RETURN OF THE U

The background: Because it was the Rose Bowl’s turn to host the BCS national championship, the game didn’t match the champions of the Big Ten and Pac-10—the first time in 56 years that had happened. It also meant the game was not played on January 1 or 2 for the first time in Rose Bowl history. No. 1 Miami, at 11-0, was a lock to play in Pasadena, but one-loss Nebraska—which didn’t reach the Big 12 championship game—earned a trip only because Oklahoma, Florida, Texas and Tennessee had suffered late-season upsets.

The game: It was never close. Miami’s defense locked down Nebraska quarterback and Heisman winner Eric Crouch and wound up with a 37-14 victory. Crouch rushed for 114 yards but completed just five of 15 passes for 62 yards and threw an interception that was returned 47 yards for a touchdown. Nebraska came into the game averaging 451.2 yards of total offense but was held to just 243.

The moment: With 6:51 to play in the first quarter, Ken Dorsey completed a 49-yard touchdown pass to Andre Johnson, and the rout was on. Dorsey and Johnson hooked up again with 3½ minutes left in the first half to make it 34-0. For the game, the pair connected for 199 yards and two TDs. They shared player of the game honors.

The aftermath: The win gave Miami the school’s fifth national title (and first in a decade) and made Larry Coker the second college football coach to capture the national title in his first season. Seventeen players on the 2001 Hurricanes—which Sporting News named the best team of the BCS era—went on to become first-round NFL draft picks, five of those in 2002. The following year, Miami cruised through the regular season and entered the title game on a 34-game winning streak but was upset by Ohio State in double overtime.

— Corrie Anderson Gifford

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Orange Bowl, January 4, 2012: West Virginia vs. Clemson

A 'NEER-PERFECT FUMBLE RETURN

The background: When a great offense meets a shoddy defense, ugly things happen. Clemson had issues on defense all season, allowing 30 or more points six times before facing the Mountaineers in Miami, but the Tigers were so good on offense that it hadn’t mattered much—until the Orange Bowl.

The game: With dynamic QB Geno Smith leading coach Dana Holgorsen’s go-go-go offense, West Virginia destroyed Clemson, 70-33, setting or tying nine bowl records in the process. The Mountaineers scored five touchdowns in the second quarter alone.

The moment: Clemson held the lead three different times (7-0, 14-7 and 17-14) before the game unraveled. With the Mountaineers leading 21-17 in the second quarter, Clemson appeared poised to score another touchdown to retake the lead. But running back Andre Ellington fumbled, and West Virginia’s Darwin Cook returned it 99 yards for a touchdown. Instead of a 24-21 lead for Clemson, it was 28-17 in favor of the Mountaineers. The Tigers never recovered.

The aftermath: With 70 points, 31 first downs and 595 yards, West Virginia erased a lot of the good feelings surrounding a resurgent Clemson team that had finished 10-3 in the regular season. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele left the team eight days after the demolition. Though there were conflicting reports about whether he resigned or was fired, someone had to take the fall.

— Matt Crossman

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Fiesta Bowl, January 5, 2009: Texas vs. Ohio State

COLT MCCOY'S COMEBACK

The background: For the Longhorns, it had been a season of almosts. Quarterback Colt McCoy had finished second in the Heisman voting, and Texas had missed a shot at the national title game. After finishing in a three-way tie atop the Big 12 South, the Longhorns lost the tiebreaker to Oklahoma—despite having beaten the Sooners by 10 points during the regular season. Texas entered the Fiesta Bowl ranked No. 3; the Buckeyes came in at No. 10.

The game: Texas came out sluggish and trailed Ohio State, 6-3, at halftime. The Longhorns regrouped and scored two third quarter touchdowns, but the Buckeyes answered with a field goal and two TDs in the fourth to go up, 21-17, with 2:05 to play.

The moment: With 16 seconds remaining, McCoy hit Quan Cosby for a 26-yard touchdown, lifting the Longhorns to a 24-21 victory. The score capped an 11-play, 78-yard drive.

The aftermath: The Longhorns had hoped their victory might give them a share of the national title, but they finished No. 3 in the AP poll. Texas would get its shot in the BCS national championship game the following season, though—where it would lose to Alabama after McCoy was injured early in the game. For the Buckeyes, the loss marked their third straight in a BCS bowl and left the Big Ten 1-6 in that postseason.

— Corrie Anderson Gifford

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Fiesta Bowl, January 2, 2012: Oklahoma State vs. Stanford

THE STANFORD SHANK IN OT

The background: Third-ranked Oklahoma State (11-1), the Big 12 champion, wanted a chance at a national championship, but the BCS instead made the title game an all-SEC affair. With a win, though, the Cowboys could open the door to the possibility of a split national championship. Fourth-ranked Stanford, also 11-1, was playing in a major bowl for the second straight year after having won the Orange Bowl the previous season. The game was also billed as a matchup of stars: Andrew Luck was arguably the college game’s best quarterback, and Oklahoma State had a marquee playmaking duo in two-time Biletnikoff winner Justin Blackmon and quarterback Brandon Weeden.

The game: Stanford jumped out to a 14-0 second quarter lead, but Oklahoma State responded with two TDs of its own. The teams traded scores the rest of the way. After a Luck-led drive of 63 yards over the last 2:35, Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson missed a 35-yard potential game-winner at the end of regulation, and the game went to overtime.

The moment: Stanford had the first overtime possession, and after three plays, Williamson came in for another field goal attempt. He missed again, shanking a 43-yarder. Cowboys kicker Quinn Sharp hit his 22-yarder on the ensuing possession to give Oklahoma State the win, 41-38.

The aftermath: While the game was cast as a loss for Luck, he went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft. And it was most certainly a win for Weeden. Before the matchup, he was not considered a first-round NFL prospect, but he threw for 399 yards and three touchdowns in the game and was taken 22nd overall in April’s draft. Blackmon announced after the game that he would forgo his senior season to turn pro. He was chosen fifth overall.

— Matt Crossman

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Orange Bowl, January 4, 2005: USC vs. Oklahoma

USC'S ORANGE BOWL BLOWOUT

The background: USC had been left out of the title game in the 2003 season despite topping both the AP and coaches polls at the conclusion of the regular season, but the Trojans defeated Michigan convincingly in the Rose Bowl to win a share of the national title. In the 2004 season, they landed a spot in the BCS championship game with an undefeated record and were matched up with No. 2 Oklahoma, which had not lost a game, either.

The game: Oklahoma scored first, but it didn’t take the Trojans long to catch up. In a span of 10 minutes, USC turned a 7-0 deficit into a 28-7 lead and eventually won the game, 55-19. The Trojans’ defense contained Oklahoma freshman sensation Adrian Peterson, who had finished second in the Heisman voting. He had 82 yards on 25 carries. USC also picked off Jason White, the 2003 Heisman winner, three times.

The moment: The Trojans had three dazzling touchdown plays longer than 30 yards, but it was a rather routine 4-yard TD pass that was the statement score. Just minutes into the second half, Heisman winner Matt Leinart connected with Steve Smith, showing there would be no second half comeback for Oklahoma. The score gave Leinart an Orange Bowl-record five touchdown passes, and it was Smith’s third TD catch—also an Orange Bowl record.
The aftermath: USC became the first team to repeat as AP national champions since Nebraska in 1994-95 and joined 1999 Florida State as the only teams to go wire to wire as No. 1. After Leinart surprised everyone by returning for his senior season, the Trojans put together another undefeated regular season in 2005, but a spectacular performance by Vince Young in the title game stopped short their bid for a three-peat. In 2011, the Trojans were stripped of the Orange Bowl win and the 2004 national title because of NCAA rules violations by running back Reggie Bush, who rushed for 75 yards on six carries in the game.

— Corrie Anderson Gifford

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Orange Bowl, January 2, 2002: Florida vs. Maryland

SPURRIER'S LAST FUN 'N' GUN

The background: Under first-year coach and alumnus Ralph Friedgen, Maryland, 5-6 the previous season, had won 10 games for the first time since 1976. Florida had entered the season ranked No. 1, but losses to unranked Auburn and No. 5 Tennessee kept the Gators out of the SEC championship—and the national title game. No. 5 Florida entered the Orange Bowl as a heavy favorite over No. 6 Maryland, but Gators quarterback Rex Grossman, the Heisman runner-up, was benched to start the game because of a curfew violation.

The game: Sophomore Brock Berlin, making his first career start at quarterback, led the Gators to a 14-10 first half lead that included a touchdown pass, but he also threw two interceptions, which kept Maryland hanging around.

The moment: Grossman came off the bench with 6 minutes remaining in the first half. On his first series, he hit Taylor Jacobs with a 15-yard TD pass, then followed with a 4-yarder to Jabar Gaffney on the Gators’ next possession to make the score 28-10 at halftime. In the second half, Grossman orchestrated Steve Spurrier’s offense by leading four consecutive touchdown drives to put the game out of reach. Grossman completed 20 of 28 passes for 248 yards and a then-Orange Bowl record-tying four touchdowns in 2½ quarters. The final: Florida 56, Maryland 23.

The aftermath: These Gators, who finished third in the final AP poll, were the last of Spurrier’s Fun ’n’ Gun teams. Two days after the Orange Bowl, Spurrier resigned to pursue a head coaching job in the NFL and was hired soon thereafter by the Washington Redskins. Grossman was the 22nd overall pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2003 draft.

— Corrie Anderson Gifford

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Sugar Bowl, January 2, 2006: Georgia vs. West Virginia

RICH ROD'S FAKE PUNT

The background: Coming on the heels of the massive destruction wreaked by Hurricane Katrina, this is the only Sugar Bowl to be played outside the city of New Orleans. Playing a near home game in the Georgia Dome, No. 8 Georgia entered the matchup as champion of the vaunted SEC. No. 11 West Virginia carried the title banner for the lowly Big East, which entered with an 0-3 mark in bowls for the season.

The game: Using the spread-option offense that helped them rank fourth nationally in rushing, West Virginia quieted the crowd with three first quarter touchdowns, two on the ground, including a 52-yard scamper by game MVP Steve Slaton, who would end up with 204 yards rushing. The Mountaineers led, 28-0, three plays into the second quarter, but the Bulldogs, paced by their passing game, fought back to make it 31-28 entering the fourth quarter.

The moment: Hanging on to a 38-35 lead and facing fourth-and-6 near midfield with 1:45 to play, West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez shocked everyone by calling a fake punt that was executed perfectly by Phil Brady for a 10-yard gain and the first down.

The aftermath: The game was a coming-out party of sorts for Rodriguez and his high-octane offensive approach that spread the field for rushing purposes. Beginning the next season, Rodriguez was the subject of hiring rumors until finally, before the 2008 season, he left for Michigan. The win also raised the profile of West Virginia, which ultimately wound up leaving the Big East for the Big 12.
— Scott Smith